1 Kings 16:19

_FOR HIS SINS WHICH HE SINNED IN DOING EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, IN WALKING IN THE WAY OF JEROBOAM, AND IN HIS SIN WHICH HE DID, TO MAKE ISRAEL TO SIN._ For his sins which he sinned. This violent end was a just retribution for his, crimes. 'His walking in the ways of Jeroboam' might have been manifested either by the previous course of his life, or by his decrees published on his ascension, when he made a strong effort to gain popularity by announcing his continued support of the calf-worship....

15-28 When men forsake God, they will be left to plague one another. Proud aspiring men ruin one another. Omri struggled with Tibni some years. Though we do not always understand the rules by which God governs nations and individuals in his providence, we may learn useful lessons from the history before us. When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure the Lord has a controversy with the people for their sins; they are loudly called to repent and reform. Omri made himself infamous by his wickedness. Many wicked men have been men of might and renown; have built cities, and their names are found in history; but they have no name in the book of life....

Zimri’s death illustrates the general moral which the writer of Kings draws from the whole history of the Israelite monarchs. that a curse was upon them on account of their persistence in Jeroboam’s sin, which, sooner or later, brought each royal house to a bloody end....

EXPOSITION This division of chapters, immediately after the commencement of the narrative of the reign of Baasha, is somewhat unfortunate, inasmuch as it obscures the close connexion between the sin of Baasha and the prophecy which it provoked. The idea the historian would convey is clearly this—the analogy between the dynasty of Jeroboam and that which supplanted it, (1) in their sin, (2) in the denunciation of each by a prophet, and (3) in the punishments which followed their sins an analogy so close that the prophet Jehu almost employs the _ipsissima verba _of his predecessor, Ahijah. 1 KINGS 16:1 THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JEHU, THE SON OF HANANI [Hanani is mentioned in...

FOR HIS SINS WHICH HE SINNED IN DOING EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD,.... In the former part of his life, as well as now: IN WALKING IN THE WAY OF JEROBOAM, AND IN HIS SIN WHICH HE DID TO MAKE ISRAEL SIN; worshipping the golden calves, which he might do while a captain of the chariots, and also since he usurped the crown, sacrificing to them by way of thanksgiving, for being in possession of the kingdom; and though his reign was so short, he might give plain and strong intimations that he should continue the worship of idols....

4. KINGS OF ISRAEL Chapter S 15:25-16 _ 1. Nadab, King of Israel (1 Kings 15:25)_ 2. Baasha, King of Israel (1 Kings 15:34; 1 Kings 16:1) 3. Elah, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:8) 4. Zimri, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:15) 5. Divisions (1 Kings 16:21) 6. Omri, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:23) 7. Ahab ...

1 KINGS 15:33 TO 1 KINGS 16:34. BAASHA'S DYNASTY. RISE OF THE HOUSE OF OMRI. Nothing is told us of Baasha except the usual annalistic details, and, that a prophet named Jehu foretold the destruction of his whole house. His son Elah was at war with the Philistines (1 Kings 16:15), but remained at Tirzah (p. 30), which at this time was the chief residence of the kings of Israel. Zimri slew him and reigned but seven days, and was then attacked by the army under Omri, and burned himself in his house. For four years, (_cf._ 1 Kings 16:15 with 1 Kin

SINS. Some codices read "sin", as in 1 Kings 16:26. Committed not merely during the seven days' reign, but during his whole life, of course. MAKE ISRAEL TO SIN. See note on 1 Kings 14:16....

_in doing evil_ See on 1 Kings 15:34. There must have been in Zimri's conduct some very prominent acts to indicate adhesion to the worship of the calves; otherwise in a reign of seven days he would hardly have been coupled with Jeroboam as leading the people into sin. Perhaps he endeavoured to win popularity in this way, so as to have on his side the bulk of the nation before the action of the army in the field became known. _did make Israel sin_ R.V. TO SIN. There can be no reason for varying a phrase so stereotyped as this....

D. THE SEVEN-DAY REIGN OF ZIMRI 16:15-20 TRANSLATION (15) In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were on an expedi tion against Gibbethon which belonged to the Philistines. (16) And the people who were on the expedition heard, saying, Zimri has conspired, and also he has smitten the king, And all Israel proclaimed Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel in that day in the camp. (17) And Omri went up and all Israel with him from Gibbethon, and they besieged Tirzah. (18) And it came to pass when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and he set fire to the king's house over him, and he died, (19) because of his sins which he had committed, to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, and to walk in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin. (20) And the rest...